The growing trend in the integrated circuit (IC) field is toward more functions per chip, lower power consumption, and lower operating voltages. These trends have many advantages but also create some problems. The sensitivity of electronic circuits to voltage and current pulses such as electromagnetic interference (EMI), electrostatic discharge (ECD), and electromagnetic pulse (EMP) is well known. The newer IC's are no better in this regard, and may be substantially more susceptable. The lower power and voltage requirements along with recent developments in the optics field open up the possibility of alternate circuit connection technology.
The advent of fiber optics and similar optic waveguides has made possible the assembly of optic circuits as complex as any existing wiring plane or circuit board. Optic sensors are now made with the same technology and materials as used in IC's and low-power optic outputs using reflected light such as liquid crystal displays (LCD) are readily available.